Everyone knows that starting a new school year is both exciting and a little scary. There’s a new teacher to get to know, a new class to become part of and, yes, more complicated math problems. But there’s also the great smell of brand new school supplies, and maybe a special outfit, or new shoes. Best of all, there’s the chance to make a fresh start.

For Paige Turner, the start of fourth grade is the moment she’s been waiting for to make a huge fresh start and become the person she wants to be: Someone who doesn’t throw up on the teacher’s shoes from stage fright, someone who isn’t afraid to flip on the highest monkey bars, and someone who can stand up to the class bully, Viveca Frye. And it all starts with a gutsy, new name: Oklahoma!

It takes a lot of work for Paige to bring out her inner Oklahoma, but she’s helped along the way by her best friend, her sympathetic teacher, her bratty cousin, and some funny but inspiring events at home and at school.

The idea for this story came to me when my younger daughter, Julia, told me about a girl at camp named, Oklahoma. “That’s her real name?” I asked. And Julia said, “No. That’s just what she told everyone to call her.” That got me wondering: Why would someone ever take the name of our forty-sixth state? Could a new name be the start to a whole, new personality? That’s when Paige Turner stepped into my life. I hope you’ll have fun getting to know her, and cheering her on. I had a lot of fun writing about her, and illustrating the story, too.

I also hope that reading Call Me Oklahoma! will inspire you to discover the many possible selves inside you and like Paige, shout out a joyful, Yee-haw!